| Denver Art Matters

Nov 05 2013

Session Kitchen serves up eating sessions

South Pearl is pretty cool, even cooler now. With the Breckenridge/Wynkoop’s latest venture in full swing, neighbors and visitors alike are in awe of the new dining adventure – named for a new way of dining – sessioning means sharing. Meals are served in cast-iron pots and priced per person.

What separates this new restaurant is the interior. Concept Director, Lisa Ruskaup and her team set out to design a gallery within a restaurant. Denver Art Matters posted the first look inside Session Kitchen in October before its opening. I made a second visit while food and shift sessions were happening like clock-work.

The experience of Session Kitchen focuses on a menu designed by Chef Scott Parker from Table 6, and, the art. Inside the Kitchen is a dining experience transcending any other except, for perhaps, a gourmet restaurant inside a world-class contemporary art museum.

Here is the latest art added to Session Kitchen. Despite the openness and floor to ceiling glass the Kitchen feels and smells warm and healthy. Art and ambiance take center stage where diners relax with friends for a session of food and drink.

Artist Abner Recinos Meija, Guatemala, ‘Smoke Lady’

Tiny Bird mobile by artist, Emi Brady, Denver.

Chef Chris

Artist Chris Sessions, ‘Full Pipe’

Tagged South Pearl Street, street art, Wynkoop Breckenridge Brewery

Oct 17 2013

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****Review, 2013

“Just Like Us” – Compelling Story on Stage

Helen Thorpe and DCPA John Moore at the Tattered Cover Bookstore, Lodo, September 2013.

I had the good fortune of being at the Tattered Cover bookstore in September for The John Moore Theater Talk. He had invited Helen Thorpe, author of the book, Just Like Us, and Karen Zacarias who turned the book into the play, Just Like Us, that is playing at the Stage Theatre at the DCPA as I write.

Thorpe is an accomplished writer (and still the wife of Governor John Hickenlooper). Her endearing journalistic journey took her down a long and interesting road. She spent years documenting the lives of four Denver Latina women who were best friends. She befriended them while they were in high school and continued knowing and observing them through the college years. That in itself was an amazing journalistic feat.

What grips the audience and gringos in the audience is the fact that there is a social status among people of Mexican heritage who live in America. The dividing line is who is legal and who is not. I may have known that, but in this context, no.

Of the four women chronicled, two had papers, two did not. Just Like Us is the story of how that particular status impacts a life, a future, education, career and ultimately the well-being of the off-spring.

Regardless of one’s stand on immigration, this is a story that should be told and heard. It is real. It is beyond many American’s radar or understanding. And while it publicizes the dire state of living as an illegal in the United States, it is also heartbreaking to know that children are the true victims of the immigration system. The story is an eye-opener about the perils of life without papers.

Just Like Us is potent entertainment. The four women are excellent actors who portray the Denver characters with youthful enthusiasm and skill. Karen Zacarias did a marvelous job of bringing the book to the stage. Mary Bacon, was Helen Thorpe. She portrayed her with the class and kindness that is emblematic of the First Lady of Colorado.

Helen Thorpe has brought to life a remarkable story that is both powerful and important. It is this season’s must see.

Tagged Helen Thorpe, Karen Zacarias

Oct 10 2013

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First Friday

Hickenlooper @ Pop-Up Gallery

CARMEN WIEDENHOEFT GALLERY PRESENTS

NATURE | HUMAN NATURE, Tania Dibbs

Works by other gallery artists will also be on exhibit in the space:
Mark Sink, Kristen Hatgi-Sink, Richard Peterson, Jeffrey Keith, Mark Amerika, Evan Anderman, Julia Fernandez-Pol, Paolo Cirio

October First Friday, October 4, 2013

Few cities promote and support an art community like our curious, creative and fascinating FOD (Friends of Denver) do. One outstanding appeal is our vibrant First Fridays, known to art lovers as the best night-out of the month.

Giving Denver’s, let’s see, four? distinct art districts, it goes without saying it’s never boring. You’ve got the regulars who never miss a FF, and the new generation of art lovers who love the rowdy social gathering especially along Santa Fe.

My October FF started across the street from the MCA with an opening at the Carmen Wiedenhoeft Gallery which was a huge 8,000 sq. ft. slick, concrete and glass area. Everyone was commenting on how great the Pop-Up gallery trend is because it’s an economic and temporary way to spice up your art career without being locked into a long, expensive lease. I think this is how it works. Gallery owners/artists rent space in an empty, new building; finagle a short-term lease, set up an art show, sell art, hire a PR person, then at the end of 1-3 months, take down the portable walls and art, then, move on to another affordable hot spot, with another new, hopefully hot, artist. It’s brilliant.

The featured artist at the Carmen Wiedenhoeft Gallery was Tania Dibbs, an Aspen artist who lives and works there. No one was particularly familiar with her work. She either has a great PR person or, she knows a lot of people in Denver who know a lot of people. Two big names showed who typically do not attend FF gallery openings. Seen were Adam Lerner, director of the Museum of Contemporary Art Denver, and Governor John Hickenlooper, who was on crutches after hip surgery.

Dibbs’ work is contemporary painted on mostly large canvases. Her technique expressed a controlled, modern and calculated approach that didn’t reveal much about the artist. Her palette was conservative. I got the feeling she had little interest in experimenting with color. Unlike a large pastel block canvas of say, Richard Diebenkorn, with an eye catching contrasting color added for interest, Dibbs took the ethereal approach. Hers were large semi-muted expressionistic images in pale yellow, gray, green. Dibbs veered into a few encaustic works using the same muted color scheme with dainty Pollock-esque managed drips.

Artist Tania Dibbs, Governor John Hickenlooper, Lauren Dibbs

Mark Amerika, also showing at the Carmen Wiedenhoeft Gallery

Oct 10 2013

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Tagging on South Pearl = Session Kitchen

Hang on to your boots Denver, there is a new restaurant about to open at 1518 South Pearl Street in the former Izakaya Den.

From the concept director for the Breckenridge|Wynkoop brewery, Lisa Ruskaup spent days and nights conjuring the perfect globally inspired restaurant. She had one recurring phrase from which she worked, from beer lingo “sessioning beer” meaning to share more than one beer. With that, Ruskaup ran with her envisioned synthesis of eastern and western energy, art, culture, music, food, and spirits into one meeting place. The brain storm and conceptual reality is called Session Kitchen.

When I went to visit Session Kitchen I was confused. I thought it was a gallery or maybe a restaurant since the word kitchen was part of the name. On arrival the enormous space was bustling with activity. Workmen, architects, carpenters, electricians. They were in the midst of morphing this space, literally. I discovered it is a restaurant in a gallery.

Lisa did her homework. She knew the synergy she was looking for – create an international space where people would gather after a day well lived, surrounded by the calm of eastern culture and the hip side of western life. Instinctively, art would be the reasoning. She was an art lover with little or no idea where to find the tangible imaginary art she envisioned. On her nightly web search she discovered Pinterest. That’s when the fun began. Going through page after page of artist’s pins was an awakening. Here was a plethora of new, edgy, street artists from all over the world whose work spoke to her concept for Session. Not only did she find the art she had in mind but she made use of one of today’s most addictive and curious social media outlets. So yes, artists out there, start pinning your work.

Scheduled to open to the public October 25, 2013, this is an interesting destination for enjoying art and food. Chef Scott Parker from Table 6 is taking charge of the Session Kitchen, and the art is international and edgy with a street art theme of vivid, bright flat red, black, blue, white, a la tagging.

Christina Angelina, Fin Dac

Nigel Penhale

Ben Eine

Jen Lewin

Lisa Ruskaup

The artists came to work. Ben Eine, an internationally known street tagger, famous for ‘Alphabet Street in London arrived in Denver. Other guests arrived including tattoo inspired artists Fin Dac (London) and Christina Angelina (Venice, CA). The floor to ceiling, two sided curved wall they painted – his side blue, hers red – juxtaposed into stark symbols of street art. Other artists invited were Mear One, Los Angeles. Check out the south side of the building for his brightly painted fusion of eastern ideas with graffiti-style fine art. The list is long – Abner Recinos Meija, Guatemala, Chris Sessions, Boulder, Andy Gregg, Michigan, Emi Brady, Denver, Jen Lewin, Boulder, as well as architect Steve Perce from the Bldg. Collective, Boulder, who incorporated the essence of Lisa’s Session Kitchen with elements of movement, music, light, art, sound and repurposed materials that are seamlessly tied together.

Stay tuned. Session Kitchen. It’s going to be fun.

Tagged Governor John Hickenlooper, Mear One, South Pearl Street, Wynkoop Breckenridge Brewery

Sep 30 2013

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36th Starz Denver Film Festival

Gearing up for the Film Festival – Tonight at 7:00 p.m.

BEST OF FEST SELECTION – From Nothing, Something: A Documentary On The Creative Process

USA, 2012, 79 Minute Running Time
Genre/Subjects: Architecture/Design, Documentary

Monday, September 30 @ 7 pm
Sponsored by Ruth O. Mutch!
From Nothing, Something profiles creative thinkers across a variety of disciplines (including architecture and design) to find the common techniques, habits and neuroses that lead to breakthrough ideas. This is a thoughtful, intimate, often funny look at the creative process – straight from the brains of some of culture’s most unique and accomplished talents. Featuring interviews with: Architect Preston Scott Cohen, Fashion Designers Alexa Adams and Flora Gill of Ohne Titel, Video Game Designer Jason Rohrer, Hollywood Creature Designer Neville Page (Avatar, Prometheus), Songwriter Sara Quin of Tegan & Sara, Oscar-Nominated Screenwriter/Novelist Tom Perrotta (Election, Little Children), Top Chefs Mary Sue Milliken & Susan Feniger, comedian Maria Bamford and two-time Pulitzer-Winning Cartoonist Steve Breen, among others.

DIRECTOR: Tim Cawley
Principal Cast: Preston Scott Cohen, Alexa Adams, Flora Gill, Jason Rohrer, Neville Page, Sara Quin, Tom Perrotta, Mary Sue Milliken, Susan Feniger, Maria Bamford, Steve Breen

Jun 05 2013

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Art Festivals Gallery

Who wants to play hopscotch?

The Larimer Street Chalk Art Festival was so crowded I had to push babies out of their strollers and step over little ole ladies in wheelchairs simply to elbow my way past the never-ending lines of looky-loos to snap a photo. The artists were hunkered over their drawings, nose-to-the-scorching-hot pavement – no shade, whining kids, baby carriages the size of a Fiat, paranoid dogs, spilled drinks and ice cream cones melting into their work space. They were troopers, smiling and chalking to the finish. I applaud them all for their tenacity and dedication to the event. The finished pieces were spectacular. Because I could not get at decent angles nor close enough to grab cards, I managed to snag only a few names. Alas, many of the artists brought no cards. I will list the names I remembered like, Anders and Jane, who chalked the Tamara de Lempicka style image. When I finagled my way over to ask for a card the guy said they didn’t have one but muttered, “Anders and Jane.” I waited. Shaking his hair out of his face he looked straight at me, “That’s all.” Then he was back to finishing the chalk art. He wiped his sweat mixed-with-chalk brow and I turned and stepped on Tamara…by accident. It was tight maneuverings.

Artist’s names I managed to get at the Chalk Art Festival: Eric Matelski – Bob Ross; Mary from Gustermans Silversmiths, one of my favorite chalks – Madonna; Lauren Bassett, Genna Panzarella, Tadd Moskal. I apologize to all the other artists for not getting their names.

I spotted Denver artist Jess DuBois at the Market Cafe. He was enjoying his shady spot on the patio while sketching a rambunctious boxer who didn’t want to be there.

Tagged Larimer Street Square

May 05 2013

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This Week's Gallery Pick

Can a Surrealist painter explain art?

Phyllis Hutchinson Montrose to Hugh Grant, Director, Kirkland Museum. “You’re asking me to explain my work? I’m a surealist painter. We can’t explain our work.”

“Illusion,” oil on canvas, 1985 “The Hunting Party,” casein tempera w/ oil glaze, 1969 “New Inhabitants – Central,” 1948

“Burlesque,” Angelo De Benedetto, 1947

The Kirkland Museum of Fine & Decorative Art, Denver, lovingly put together a 54-year retrospective of Phyliss Hutchinson Montrose‘s career spanning 1946 to 2000. It’s rather fitting. The Kirkland Museum takes great pride in recognizing artists who have contributed to Colorado’s art history. With Montrose, she was also a student of the museum’s namesake, Vince Kirkland. He was a mentor and teacher to the young aspiring artist.

All shades of her friend, collector, artist, teacher Vance Kirkland and, two other Montrose mentors, Angelo Di Benedetto and Julio de Diego are easily recognizable in her work. There’s a child-like, naughtiness in her surrealistic work, which came after her close association with Di Benedetto, de Diego and Kirkland. Colorado artists in the 40’s were focused on the western aspect of the state and used dark, somber color palettes to represent everything from uncivilized craggly rocks and mountains to the otherworldly, expressionists style of seeing faun and flora on their canvases. Montrose’s work accurately follows the history of Colorado art from the 40’s to the twenty-first century.

Phyllis Hutchinson Montrose’s life and career brings to mind the 1960’s artist, Patty Smith. Both were brilliant (still are). Both loved art and cultural nightlife, painting, other artists and being in the moment of what was happening. Montrose and Smith wanted to be artists, and wanted to know and work with and learn from the cool artists of the day. For Montrose she looked to Vance Kirkland, Julio de Diego and Angelo Di Benedetto.

The exhibition is brilliant and important for its artistic and historical value. I feel honored to have been in the same room with the little known artist whose work will live forever in the hearts of informed Denver art collectors. Still a feisty, articulate 80-something woman, Montrose is never without opinion. Asked about the abundance of surrealists artists in the state, she commented that it’s the thin air in Colorado that produces so many loopy surrealist painters in Colorado.

← Back

Thank you for your response. ✨

Tagged Angelo Di Benedetto, Julie de Diego, Phyllis Hutchinson Montrose, Vance Kirkland

Apr 29 2013

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Photography

Influencing Me – Vivien Maier

You’ll be hearing more about this remarkable nanny and photographer. I cannot get enough of her amazing photos. Lucky for us a movie is in the making. Wanna bet it will be this year’s surprise Sundance, “Searching for Sugarman.”

Apr 10 2013

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French Style by Bérénice Vila Baudry

Another book on French style. I’m on a fashion kick today. Enjoy. Buy a book!

Apr 10 2013

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Luxury Book : Chanel Three Book Set, Special Edition

For Chanel lovers out there, a 3-book set of black quilted cover, a la Chanel style, books on the most revered woman of fashion and style. She remains a major influence in fashion today.